[Sahil]

Ouch! Hard luck,but like you said crap happens...it pinches your heart but atleast not your pocket this time.

An almost similar thing had happened to my C180 years ago...my driver decided to open the door slightly without watching out for on coming traffic...bham! comes in a Prado and pushes the door in to bend the hinges.It looked almost similar to your door.

Got it repaired at the MB service center itself, dont remember how much it costed exactly but i think it was around 50k or less. Color was matched perfectly.

[diabloo]

Thats a bad incident. But still left few questions unanswered:

1. AFAIK, for PUC, engine must be running & exhaust pipe must be accessible. But why would somebody 'pop open' the hood?
2. Since the access was an incline, wouldn't your driver the better person to park the car?
3. PUC of a car on an incline ? How will they do PUC on cars with weak hand brake? Stand on brakes?

Originally Posted by GTO

Car keys are handed over to the service attendant, who parks the Benz in the service bay, It has a pretty sharp incline. The idiotic attendant wants to pop open the hood. Instead of pulling the hood release lever, he pulls the handbrake lever and thereby, disengages it. The C220 starts rolling backward with the drivers door open. WHAM and CRUNCH! The door hits a pillar on the right hand side and literally crumples in.

[FlyingSpur]

On a lighter note, your interiors look lovely!

[kkr2k2]

Originally Posted by diabloo

AFAIK, for PUC, engine must be running & exhaust pipe must be accessible. But why would somebody 'pop open' the hood?

For Diesel cars the hood has to be opened. If I am right they they take the RPM readings through the alternator.

raj.

[normally_crazy]

OUCH Rush !

That is heart wrenching. On the brighter side, the owner has agreed to pay up the damages. Things like these happen.

Enjoy your VTEC ride to Lonavala and back.

[PatchyBoy]

Originally Posted by GTO

So this morning, my driver comes up to talk to me. I was busy in a meeting, but instead of waiting, he calls home and takes permission from my Mom to renew the Benz' PUC. First mistake : I have given crystal clear instructions to my drivers NOT to take the car anywhere, but the authorised service station for even the smallest of jobs. Heck, 10 days back, I sent the C220 to Auto Hangar for a silly bulb change!

Bad to see the damage.

Having said that, lets us look at the whole scenario:

1. Your driver's unwillingness to wait tells me that your PUC probably expired and he was in a rush to get it renewed, to avoid having to face your wrath when you find out - Dereliction of duty on the driver's part.

2. Crystal clear instructions are just that. The very fact that your driver chose to disobey them indicates lacunae in communication or disrespect for instructions or both.

3. The attendant mistaking the hand brakes for boot release is a genuine mistake. The guy probably has never seen the insides of the Benz.

Now, what would you have done, if a maniac cab driver in a Indicab rammed into you? Such happenings are called accidents for a reason. I believe that your driver is more at fault than anyone else in this incident. Are you going to make him drive your car without paying him for the rest of his life, so you can recover your losses?

1.5 Lakh bill is probably affordable for you or even the service station owner, but the poor attendant and your driver are the parties that get affected most.

If a Manager is not able to make his staff understand and adhere to instructions, who is to blame - the manager or the staff?

No offence, just my two cents.

Cheers,

Rajan

[GTO]

Originally Posted by 1100D

GTO, looking at the pictures, its apparent that the door was yanked forward against the pillar while the car was rolling backwards. Apart from the damage to the door itself (which is apparent) there might be damages to the doorpost (where the hinge is attached). Its a potential area of cover up. Please check your car whilst the door is being replaced, otherwise you will have rattles, misalignment problems and what not going forward.

Good point! The Auto Hangar service advisor did mention this too.

Originally Posted by Sahil

An almost similar thing had happened to my C180 years ago...my driver decided to open the door slightly without watching out for on coming traffic...bham! comes in a Prado and pushes the door in to bend the hinges.It looked almost similar to your door.

Got it repaired at the MB service center itself, dont remember how much it costed exactly but i think it was around 50k or less. Color was matched perfectly.

Chances are, it suffered lesser damage. If you were charged 50K, then the door shell wouldn't have been replaced. That part alone costs about 40 - 45K.

Originally Posted by diabloo

Since the access was an incline, wouldn't your driver the better person to park the car?

Absolutely.

? How will they do PUC on cars with weak hand brake? Stand on brakes?

I am pretty sure they will take the necessary precautions after this incident.

Originally Posted by normally_crazy

Enjoy your VTEC ride to Lonavala and back.

Will do, Sir!

Originally Posted by PatchyBoy

2. Crystal clear instructions are just that. The very fact that your driver chose to disobey them indicates lacunae in communication or disrespect for instructions or both.

If a Manager is not able to make his staff understand and adhere to instructions, who is to blame - the manager or the staff?

We have crystal clear rules on Team-BHP too. In fact, they are part of the welcome email and welcome PM. Just how many of us break the rules here?

Makes for good reading in management books, but the real world is slightly different....to say the least.

The attendant mistaking the hand brakes for boot release is a genuine mistake. The guy probably has never seen the insides of the Benz.

Thats why you would be expected to ask someone who knows. In this case, the driver.

Now, what would you have done, if a maniac cab driver in a Indicab rammed into you? Such happenings are called accidents for a reason.

Of course, accidents happen. But I fail to understand how you see a similarity in these two situations. I haven't hired the services of the Indica to service my Benz.

I believe that your driver is more at fault than anyone else in this incident.

Of course, he shares the blame as much as the silly petrol pump and their service attendants. The car shouldn't have been there in the first place. And if it did, the drivers responsibility is to make sure that the car is safe.

Are you going to make him drive your car without paying him for the rest of his life, so you can recover your losses?

Do me a favour and stop jumping to such conclusions. You don't know me from a fly on the wall, and nowhere have I said that I will make my driver pay monetarily for this accident. My staff has stuck it out with me for a very long time while my company has the lowest turnover ratio in the industry. That says a lot about our company's management policies. I would much appreciate you reining in your accusatory tone without knowing the facts.

[ajmat]

That is sad and I can understand how blue you must be feeling.

Your driver is also at fault, I feel, if he took it to this place, he should have parked the car and remain in the drivers seat. Why did they want to open the bonnet anyway? All they do is stick something up the tailpipe

[Dippy]

Ouch!! Thats a bad one. It has taken quite a beating. I really dont understand how careless these guys can be. Do check you door hinges for any damages as well. It was quite stupid of your driver to hand over the keys of the benz to a pump attendant like that. Anyways hope the car comes back soon as good as new.

Meanwhile Happy Vtecing

[Hurrycane12]

Bad hit; hope your car is back at the earliest. Good to kow that you video taped the service station chaps as they cannot go back on their words.

[PatchyBoy]

Originally Posted by GTO

We have crystal clear rules on Team-BHP too. In fact, they are part of the welcome email and welcome PM. Just how many of us break the rules here?

True. Isn't that why we have infractions and bans?

Makes for good reading in management books, but the real world is slightly different....to say the least.

Very true again.

Thats why you would be expected to ask someone who knows. In this case, the driver.

The root cause in this case is your Driver disobeying your crystal clear instructions. That was what I was trying to convey.

Of course, accidents happen. But I fail to understand how you see a similarity in these two situations. I haven't hired the services of the Indica to service my Benz.

Looks like there is a misunderstanding. I was only trying to state an imaginary scenario.


Of course, he shares the blame as much as the silly petrol pump and their service attendants. The car shouldn't have been there in the first place. And if it did, the drivers responsibility is to make sure that the car is safe.

Exactly my point

Do me a favour and stop jumping to such conclusions. You don't know me from a fly on the wall, and nowhere have I said that I will make my driver pay monetarily for this accident. My staff has stuck it out with me for a very long time while my company has the lowest turnover ratio in the industry. That says a lot about our company's management policies. I would much appreciate you reining in your accusatory tone without knowing the facts.

I apologize if I have offended you. I was not questioning your management policies or your managerial capablities. As you rightly put it, I do not know you from a fly on the wall, and that statement Sir, is true vice versa. I was just voicing my opinion, because you chose to put it in an open forum and I happen to be a member. That does not necessarily make my opinions correct.

I apologize again if I have offended you.

Cheers,

Rajan

[lohithrao]

Sad!....dont know how people can get irresponsible? esp with the expensive machines....

[Veelubai]

Actually , when I saw the thread title I though your car must have been damaged due to bad fuel. Hope the car will be fine very soon and has the pump owner agreed to foot the entire bill or just the difference of the insucrance claim and actual cost?

[condor]

GTO, that hurts. Hope she is as good as new when she's back.

kkr2k2 : For Diesel cars the hood has to be opened. If I am right they they take the RPM readings through the alternator.

Not required. I never open my hood when getting a PUC. The cert has rpm's noted on it, but dont understand how they do it. Wonder if it is in the program, based on make & model.

[PatienceWins]

It hurts to see a well maintained Benz in that shape.

GTO, I know how you feel. Please keep us posted on how it goes.